


Becoming Lauren

by ARtheBard



Series: JEmily Forever [20]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 07:57:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11505033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARtheBard/pseuds/ARtheBard
Summary: Emily is pregnant and Ian Doyle wants the child. In the clutches of her nemesis Emily can only do one thing to survive: Become Lauren. At the BAU, JJ can only do one thing to get her wife and unborn child back: Become ruthless. Who will win in the end JJ or Doyle?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to story #20 in my crazy little JEmily/BAU universe. Once I decided to make this story a series (right around #3 Saviour) everything has been leading up to this, one of the only redeeming storylines from Season 6, imho. There will be references to things we learn in 6x17 “Valhalla” and 6x18 “Lauren”. If by any chance you haven’t seen those episodes, it would help to visit YouTube and check them out. Here is my version of what happens when Ian Doyle returns for Lauren Reynolds. (Which is more a season 5 time frame in my universe.) Enjoy the ride!

Ian Doyle leans on the backend of the Lexus belonging to Emily Prentiss. Today is the day he decides his next move. He has just put out his cigarette when his phone rings.

“Ultrasound is positive. The whore is with child.”

“Watch your dirty mouth, Seamus. You’re talking about the mother of my child.” Ian listens as Emily approaches, most likely on the phone with the blonde agent. He refuses to call JJ Emily’s wife. That doesn’t work in his world…the world in which he  _knew_ Lauren had given herself willingly to him.

“Everything is perfect. The heartbeat was strong and steady and---HEY!”

He steps around the back of the SUV in time to see Seamus knock the phone out of Emily’s hand. He sees the man still grips her arm, which had sparked her shout of “hey.”

“Hello, love,” Ian whispers.

Emily spins around. There is no hiding the fear in her eyes. “Ian,” Emily says in terror.

He steps closer. “Time to pay the piper, Lauren. Time to give back to me what you stole.”

His blue eyes are murderous. Emily tries to pull away from Seamus, who now holds both arms. Ian pulls out a knife and places it at Emily’s stomach.

“Stay still, love. Otherwise I’ll put this knife in your stomach, ending your pregnancy. And if that happens, I’ll still be needing a child.” He holds up a picture of Henry. “He looks so much like Declan, love. Think your blonde bitch would care if I took him? Think she would still fuck you if she knew you were the cause of her son’s disappearance. You owe me a child, love. I’ll take him…or the one you carry. Your choice.”

Emily stares at the picture of Henry. She then looks down at the ground. “Don’t take Henry,” she says in defeat.

Ian smiles cruelly. “Good answer.” He looks beyond her to Seamus. “Put her in the first car.”

Emily looks up sharply. She knows his theory about the second car being safest. He just grins, knowing she realizes how little he values her life. He jerks her purse off her shoulder as Seamus leads her away. A woman sees what’s happening and tries to help.

“Hey! Leave her alone! Stop! Pol—”

Her words cut off as Ian pulls out a silencer-equipped .45 and shoots her between the eyes. He drags her between Emily’s vehicle and the one beside it, the climbs into the second vehicle in his caravan.

In less than five minutes, Emily Prentiss is gone.


	2. Chapter 2

“NOOOOOOOO!” JJ screams, dropping to her knees.

Hotch, confused, drops down and grabs her. “JJ! What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

JJ is hyperventilating as she listens to the conversation between Doyle and her wife. “Ian…D—Doyle…has her…has…Em—Emily.”

Hotch frowns as several others run over. “Ian Doyle? The weapons dealer?” JJ nods. “Why would he take Emily?”

Director Ryder steps forward. “I think I can answer that.” He looks at the other agents. “Meeting over. Straus, Hotch, Jennifer, let’s step back inside the conference room.”

JJ shakes her head. “NO! We have to go! We have to!”

Hotch pulls out his phone. “What’s the address, JJ?” She tells him. “Morgan, get the team and get to the clinic. Emily’s been kidnapped. Get Garcia tracing her phone and car. Hurry.”

He gives Morgan the address and helps JJ to her feet. Together he and Straus get her into the conference room and into a seat. Ryder starts to pace.

“What do you know of Emily’s postings before she arrived at the BAU?” the director asks them.

“She was in Chicago but wanted to move up in the Bureau,” Straus answers. “She’d been part of a couple of task forces and showed promise.”

“Fucking LIES!” JJ shouts. “She was with Interpol. Her entire fucking history with the FBI is bullshit!”

Ryder stares at her a moment. “She showed you, didn’t she?”

“She had to. To protect me and Henry.”

“Emily Prentiss was recruited temporarily from the Chicago Office by the CIA to join a task force with Interpol. She went undercover as an arms dealer named Lauren Reynolds in hopes of reaching an arms dealer known as Valhalla. Interpol knew Ian Doyle was the step below Valhalla but no one had been able to get that close. Until Emily.”

“They made her into a fucking pawn. They trained her how to attract him, both professionally and personally.” JJ stands and glares at the director. “And she did exactly what you needed her to do. She got to Valhalla. The fucking task force was too dumb to know Doyle was the man they were after the whole God damned time!”

“You’re right. It was the best kept secret in the arms world. Until Lauren, no one knew. When Doyle was taken down, Lauren Reynolds ‘died’ in a car crash. That should have been the end of it.”

“How the fuck did Doyle get free? How did he get here? Who the fuck should have known this?” JJ demands.

“I can swear to you, Jennifer, I will find out,” Ryder vows.

Hotch takes JJ’s arm. “Let’s go see what Morgan found at the scene.”

JJ stares at the director a moment longer before allowing Hotch to lead her away.

* * *

 

Morgan, Reid and Rossi are silent as they race towards the fertility center. They see the police gathered around Emily’s Lexus when they pull in. Even worse, they see the yellow tarp being lowered to the ground, obviously to cover a body.

“Oh, my God,” Reid mumbles.

“Dio, protegga la sua,” Rossi mutters as he crosses himself.*

They leap out of their SUV and flash their credentials. Morgan moves right to the body lying beside the driver’s door of Emily’s vehicle. He looks at the officer.

“May I? She may be one of ours.”

The officer nods. Morgan takes a deep breath and slowly lifts the tarp. His head drops in relief as he sees it’s not Emily. He looks to Reid and Rossi.

“Not her.”

“Then where the hell is she?” Reid asks, looking around.

Rossi points to the clinic. “They have cameras. I’ll go see about getting a look.”

Morgan looks around while still on the ground. He points. “Reid…Emily’s phone and purse are here.”

“This wasn’t a mugging it was a kidnapping. He wanted her, Morgan. We need to find out who and why,” Reid states.

Morgan nods as he stands. As they prepare to head inside, they see Hotch tearing into the parking lot. JJ, Straus, Ryder and Hotch get out of the Tahoe. JJ sees the body covered on the ground.

“NOOO!”

She screams and races forward. Morgan leaps in front of her catching her in his arms.

“JJ!”

“NO! LET ME SEE HER! MORGAN, LET ME THE FUCK GO!”

Morgan fights to hold the frantic woman. Reid races over and grabs JJ’s hands.

“JJ! It’s NOT Emily! JENNIFER! LISTEN TO ME! It’s not her!”

JJ finally stops struggling. She stares into Reid’s eyes. “It’s…it’s not?”

“I swear to you, JJ. It’s not her.”

JJ’s legs give out and she would have fallen if Morgan didn’t still have her in his arms. He carries her to a nearby bench and sits her down. His phone rings and he sees it’s Rossi. He puts it on speaker so everyone can hear.

“Yeah, Rossi?”

“They didn’t even try to hide their identities. Garcia should be able to get facial recognition on most of them.”

JJ buries her face in her hands. “It’s Ian Doyle and his goons. FUCK!” She looks up at Hotch. “He’ll kill her, Hotch. He thinks she caused the death of his son. He’s going to kill her after she gives birth. And if she loses that baby he’ll kill her sooner and go after Henry. We  _have_   to find them. We have to find them soon!”

Hotch kneels down and stares into JJ’s eyes. “First of all, he will never get a chance at Henry. I promise you that. Secondly, we’re going to find her before she gives birth. He will  _not_   get either of your children and he will   _not_   kill Emily Prentiss. I swear to you.” He looks to Morgan’s phone. “Dave, get Garcia on the phone with the clinic. She’ll be able to find what we need on those tapes.”

“Right.” Rossi disconnects to call the technical analyst.

Hotch looks at JJ. “Let’s get back to the BAU. We can contact the CIA and Interpol.” He looks up at the director. “Sir, anything you can do to get rid of the fucking red tape is needed.”

Ryder nods. “You have the full support of my office. Anything you need from information to ammunition you will have.” He sighs. “Agent Jareau, if you like, I can contact Elizabeth and Gerald.”

JJ stares at him but finally shakes her head. “No…it should come from me. But thank you, sir.”

“Of course.”

JJ looks at Hotch. “I want security at the house.”

Hotch nods. “Of course. Morgan, get on it. Make sure Garcia vets any agent who gets the assignment. See if we can get Francesca and Henry moved to secure housing on Quantico for the duration of this search. Have JJ’s home phone rerouted to a line at the office in case Emily or Doyle try to call it.”

“Got it.” Morgan makes the call to the head of agency security.

They all head back to Quantico, JJ silent and shaking the entire trip. Emily had shared her fears about Doyle with her. JJ knows Doyle won’t care about Emily’s health and well-being during her pregnancy. He may care about the child, but he won’t care about the mother. JJ squeezes her eyes shut, trying to will the scary images out of her head but failing miserably.

“Oh, Emily…where are you, baby? Hang on for me. Please,” she whispers.

Straus reaches over and takes JJ’s hand, trying to offer as much strength and comfort as she can to the distraught woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *God, protect her. Per Babylon Translator


	3. Chapter 3

Garcia has called in Kevin and together they are hacking into traffic cameras and business cameras all around the clinic. They have managed to track Doyle’s two vehicles into a rural area of Virginia where the traffic cams disappeared. Police dispatched to the last known location searched the area until they found the abandoned vehicles on the side of the road.

“SON OF A BITCH!” Garcia hollers when she receives that report. “There have to be businesses near there, Kevin. Find them and find out what cameras they have access to. NOW!”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answers, scared of his girlfriend and terrified for Emily.

When one of Garcia’s facial recognition scans finishes, she shoots the info to Morgan and starts on the next one. She then goes back to searching for where the stolen license plates on the vehicles had come from. As soon as she gets VIN’s from the two SUV’s she can also trace those. But until the next break, she is hamstrung.

She stands and starts to pace. “I can’t do anything more. Why can’t I do anything more? How can I let them down? How can I not have SOMETHING for them? Why is this happening? What do I—”

“GARCIA!” Morgan’s voice breaks through her fear. He grabs her by the shoulders. “Don’t do this to yourself. You can only work with what you have, you hear me? Don’t lose yourself, Penelope. Hang on for Emily, okay? You hang on for Emily and Jennifer and that little baby Emily is carrying. We  _will_   find them. And you will be vital to that. Just stay calm and work your magic, you hear me?”

Garcia slowly nods. “Yes…right…of course.” She takes a deep breath. “Tell Hotch I called in Kevin. And the IT boss says anything we need we’ll have from that department.”

Morgan nods. “Good. I’ll let him know.” He takes a deep breath. “Pen, JJ is getting ready to call Emily’s parents. I think she could use a shoulder. Any chance it could be yours?”

Garcia takes his hands. “Yes, of course.” She looks at Kevin. “If the facial recognition or anything hits, let Morgan know. He’s speed dial 2 on the phone.”

“Right.” He looks at Morgan. “I’ll call you as soon as I have anything.”

“Thanks, Kevin. It’s good to have you on the team,” Morgan says sincerely.

He and Garcia head towards JJ’s office. They find her pacing, her phone in her hand, tears rolling down her cheeks. Morgan squeezes Garcia’s arm and takes his leave. Garcia walks in and closes JJ’s door. The liaison looks at her best friend.

“How the hell do I do this, Pen? How do I tell them this? How do I terrify them this way?”

Garcia shakes her head. “I don’t know, Jayje. There is no easy way to make this call.” She takes JJ’s hand and leads her to the couch. “You dial. If you need me to, I can take the phone. We’ll do it together, okay?”

JJ nods as Garcia wraps an arm around JJ’s shoulder. With shaking hands, JJ hits the command to call Elizabeth Prentiss’ direct line.

“Jennifer! How are you dear?” Elizabeth answers happily.

“I…I…” she bursts into tears.

“Jennifer? Jennifer, what’s wrong?” Elizabeth yells to her assistant. “DEVON! CALL GERALD! NOW!” She brings her mouth back to the phone. “Jennifer, what’s happened to Emily?”

Garcia sees JJ is beyond the ability to speak. She takes the phone. “Ambassador Prentiss, it’s Penelope Garcia. Ma’am, I don’t know how to say this but Emily has been kidnapped. A man named Ian Doyle has her. He’s a real bad guy she helped put away when she was with Interpol. And he’s taken her because…because she’s pregnant and he wants the child.”

She hears a scream and the phone drop. She hears a lot of rustling and a man’s voice comes on the line.

“Who is this?”

“This is Penelope Garcia of the FBI. Who are you?”

“Devon McCrory. I’m the ambassador’s assistant. Why the hell did she pass out?”

“Oh, oh, God…her daughter has been kidnapped. Please, can you reach Gerald?”

“He’s on his way. How can I reach you back?”

Garcia gives him her cell number as well as Morgan’s cell. He should already have JJ’s. She hangs up and pulls JJ close.

“Honey, you may not want to hear this but you have to pull yourself together. We are going to need everyone to get her back. Is there anything you can tell us that could help?”

JJ shakes her head. “No. She just…wait…there’s an envelope.” JJ jumps up. “I have to get to the house. She had a packet. It has info we can use.”

Before Garcia can stop her JJ races out of her office and towards the conference room. She bursts in, her heart skipping a beat when she sees a crime board set up with Emily’s photo on it. Reid sees the look on her face and quickly flips the board over. JJ shakes her head and looks at Hotch.

“Emily has a packet of information hidden in our house. She always knew the day could come when Doyle would come after her. I need to go to the house. It has info on the people who were on her team.” She looks to the director. “A lot of it is blacked out but it will help you know what and who to ask for.”

Hotch looks at Morgan. “You and Rossi take her. Get there and get back.” He looks at JJ. “Francesca and Henry are already being moved to a secure location here at Quantico. None of us will know where for safety’s sake.”

JJ slowly shakes her head. “No…NO! He’s my SON, Hotch!”

Hotch nods. “I know. But if Doyle gets you he will make you tell where—”

“I’d  _die_  before I told him where to find Henry. FUCK YOU if you think any differently!”

Hotch stares at her. “Jennifer, you can either know where Henry is or be part of this investigation. I won’t let Doyle do to your family what Foyet did to mine.”

“Bullshit! He put your family in WitSec and now you’re taking mine. Does it make you feel better, Aaron?” she says spitefully.

“Morgan, Rossi, take her and go. Now,” he replies emotionlessly.

Morgan takes JJ’s arm and leads her out. JJ is still hurling insults at Hotch as Rossi and Morgan drag her onto the elevator. As the doors close, Morgan slams her up against the back wall.

“CHECK your ATTITUDE, Jennifer!”

She tries to pull away. “Get your hands off me, Derek!”

“NO! You listen to me and you listen good: Emily would be sickened to hear what you just said to Hotch. That was a low fucking blow about Foyet and you know it. I know you are scared. Hotch knows you’re scared. And you can be damn sure his frustration with how shit went down with Foyet is the only reason your ass isn’t in that safe house and off this case.” He takes a deep breath as he feels JJ start to relax a little. “Get your head on straight, JJ. I can’t even begin to relate to the fear you must be feeling. But Emily needs you to compartmentalize that fear for now and focus on finding her and your unborn child.”

JJ slumps against the back wall. Morgan releases his hold on her shoulders and pulls her into a hug.

“We’ll find her, JJ. I swear to you we will find her. Failure is not an option.”

She just nods against his chest. When they get to the first floor the three agents hurry out. It is obvious from the activity and whispered conversations that Emily’s kidnapping has made it around the building. And the FBI is not going to stand by with one of their own in trouble. JJ’s spirit is slightly lifted as they leave.

Thirty minutes later, they enter the house, firearms at the ready just in case. As they head upstairs, JJ can’t help but look into Henry’s room. She sees the scattered clothes, evidence of the hurried packing that was done for him. Her heart clenches but she keeps moving towards the bedroom. She notices even Sergio is gone, as the friendly cat had not run to greet them.

When she gets to the bedroom office Morgan watches as she opens the secret compartment in the bookshelf. She takes a deep breath and punches the code she had prayed she would never need to know: 0527A. She reaches in and takes out the packet Emily had shown her. She shakes her head and hands it to Morgan.

“This is what she had to be. This is why she…she always feels she doesn’t deserve the good things in her life.”

Morgan frowns. “She helped take down Ian Doyle aka Valhalla. Why the hell shouldn’t she be proud of that?”

JJ stands and stares into Morgan’s eyes. “I swear to God, Derek, when we get her back if you even look at her a little differently I will never forgive you.”

She pushes past him and Rossi, heading for the stairs. Rossi and Morgan exchange a look before following her. In the SUV, Rossi opens the envelope and slides some of the information out. Seeing all the blacked out pages he knows that whatever Emily was part of was a deep cover operation. He concentrates on the photos inside, staring at the one of Lauren Reynolds.

“She was pretty,” he notes. “But that’s not our Emily.”

“No, that’s Lauren Reynolds,” JJ explains. “They trained her and dressed her to be the type to…to win Ian Doyle’s heart.” She sees Morgan stiffen. “They knew the only way to get past him to Valhalla was for him to fall in love with a woman and be willing to share everything with her.”

“So she slept with him for the case?” Morgan states.

JJ bristles. “She did a JOB, Morgan. Don’t you  _dare_  judge her for that. You have no idea the nightmares and guilt she carries with her for what happened during that time.”

Morgan sighs. “I’m not…not judging her. It’s just…not the Emily I know.”

“She wasn’t the Emily we know. She was Lauren Reynolds. And even before that she wasn’t the Emily we know. Who she is now, who we love and are scared for now, was created by everything that happened to her during her time with Interpol.”

Rossi had been going through the papers as Morgan and JJ had talked. He picks up another envelope.

“JJ, this is addressed to you.”

JJ frowns and takes the envelope. Taking a deep breath she opens it and pulls out a letter written in Emily’s distinctive hand.

_Jennifer,_

_If you are reading this then Ian Doyle has taken me. Ever since we started discussing me getting pregnant I have been scared this could happen. In all honesty, I hope that’s why he has me. I told you how much Henry looks like Declan and if he has me I know Henry is safe._

_Jennifer, I am about to ask you something that you may not like. Please, Jen, if he has me, don’t come after me. Stay and protect Henry. If for some reason I can’t get pregnant he may still come after Henry. I have no doubt in my mind that if he takes me before I am pregnant he will either kill me or force me to carry his child to replace the one I took from him. Either way, I’d rather that be the case than have you or Henry hurt._

_I love you, Jennifer. Please know that all the good in my life, all the blessings I have been given didn’t exist before you were in my life. You have always been my shining star; the center of my universe. I love you and Henry so much and I’m sorry I won’t be there to see him grow up and that I won’t grow old with you. Please don’t stop believing in love, Jennifer. Know my heart has never belonged to anyone but you._

_Te amo, Jennifer._  
 _Emily_.

JJ had not realized they had made it back to Quantico. Rossi and Morgan had gotten out of the SUV to give her some privacy. She storms out of the vehicle.

“If she fucking thinks we’re not going after her ass she sure as fuck doesn’t know us,” she states, shoving the letter at Rossi as she storms into the FBI facility. Rossi smiles at her back. He looks at Morgan.

“And that’s the Jennifer Jareau Prentiss we’ve been waiting for.”

Morgan smiles and nods. “Come on. Let’s go see about getting Emily back.”


	4. Chapter 4

When they had left the clinic parking lot Doyle’s vehicles had driven south, getting into more rural areas. Emily is confused when they pull over to the side of the road until two more vehicles pull up. She is escorted to the first one again and squeezed in between two of Doyle’s men. She glances back and sees the first SUV’s are left behind. They look nothing like the ones they are in now so there is no chance the police could stop them just by chance.

After a mile, the men use a cut through to turn back north. Emily tries to watch where they are going. One man grins evilly at her.

“Watch all you want, lassie, won’t do you any good.”

Emily just glares at him. Inside her stomach is in turmoil. She coaches herself to keep her mind off how dire her situation really is.

“ _Breathe, Emily. Don’t show them fear. Put the fear away. From this point on everything you do is about survival for you and for your baby. Breathe, keep your blood pressure steady, slow your heart rate. Everything will be okay. You were on the phone with Jen so they will be looking for you. And she knows about the safe. She can get enough info to them that even if they run into brick walls Garcia will know what to be hacking for. The team will find you. They will find you and…oh, shit…an airfield_.”

The two SUVs pull into a hangar at a private air strip in Manassas. She is hustled out of the car and over to an airplane. She starts to struggle when they near the steps. Doyle’s voice makes everyone stop.

“Keep struggling, love, and you could lose the baby. Lose the baby, and your bitch loses her son.”

Emily glares at Ian. His face betrays no emotions. She blinks first. He grins, recognizing he has won this showdown. He nods to his men who shove Emily towards the steps where this time she walks up without fighting.

Once on the plane she is pushed into a seat near the back of the 12 seat jet. To her surprise, Ian sits down beside her.

“Give me your hands,” he orders.

Emily takes a deep breath and holds her hands out. He pulls out a pair of cuffs and secures them. He holds her left hand, his thumb ghosting over the wedding ring.

“Funny. You told me you weren’t the type to wear a ring.”

“Actually, Lauren wasn’t the type to wear a ring,” she clarifies.

With a sneer he rips the ring from her finger, ignoring her wince of pain as he dislocates her knuckle.

“You won’t be needing this ever again…Lauren.” He rips open her blouse at the neck. “Where is my necklace?”

She stares into his eyes, her own betraying nothing but hatred. “I flushed it down the toilet the first chance I got.”

He backhands her. “Liar!”

She slowly turns back towards him, a trickle of blood coming from her mouth. She smiles evilly. “Why would I keep that piece of tin?”

He punches her, her head slamming into the side of the plane. He sees she’s dazed. “Time to take a nap, love.”

He punches her once more and she’s out. He reaches a hand back to one of his men. He is handed a blindfold and ties it tightly over Emily’s eyes. He is then handed rope so he can bind her arms tightly to her body and even bind her thighs close together to make walking hard and running nearly impossible. He stands and looks at the man in the next seat.

“Watch her. Don’t think for a minute she’s not capable of getting out of those ropes and chains.”

The man nods and pulls out his gun. Doyle grabs it and smacks the man in the face with it.

“You’re gonna shoot her in an airplane? You’re a fucking idiot. If she moves, club her upside the head and knock her out. Bloody idiot.”

Doyle moves back to the front of the plane and sits down. His right hand man Liam stares at him.

“You should have killed her when you had a chance,” Liam states.

“No. She owes me a child. And if she isn’t really pregnant or she loses the one she’s carrying,” he smiles, his eyes like a serpent, “well, I’ll get a chance to make one with her. She owes me, Liam. And one way or another, she’s gonna deliver me a child.”

Liam shakes his head. “She’s a fucking FBI agent! The whole of the U.S. justice system will be after her!”

“So? Soon we’ll be beyond their grasp. They can’t touch us where we’re going. Emily Prentiss will become Lauren Reynolds again until she gives me what I need. And then I’ll let her precious Jennifer know where she can find the body.”

Doyle holds up the wedding ring he had pulled from Emily’s hand. He rolls it in the light, studying the design and the inscription inside. Liam shakes his head. As far as he’s concerned Doyle’s obsession with Lauren Reynolds could mean their death. And if Liam gets a chance he may have to end the obsession for their own good.

* * *

 

Twice during the flight Emily had started to wake up and twice she had been clubbed back unconscious. When she starts to wake the third time she knows she is in a bed. Her head is throbbing. She tries to bring her hand to the blindfold on her face but her hand won’t comply. She gasps as she realizes she is bound spread eagle on a bed.

“You’re awake. Good.”

“I…Ian?”

“Yes, Love. Tell me, should I call you Lauren or Emily?”

Emily bites her lip. “You want me to be Lauren. If you call me Emily it will ruin the fantasy for you. Emily is a lesbian in love with her wife. Lauren is straight and she loved…loves Ian Doyle.”

She hears pacing but Doyle says nothing. She feels a hand stroke up her leg and forces herself to stay still; to not flinch. The hand continues to her stomach where it rubs her.

“Declan’s mother tried to kill herself. She would rather be dead than give birth to my son. I kept her trussed up like this until he was born. What am I going to have to do to you…Lauren?”

“I want this child, Ian. I won’t hurt myself or the baby,” she promises, almost hating how weak her voice sounds.

She hears him walk away from the bed. “I guess we’ll have to see,” he says. Emily hears the door close and lock. She wills herself not to cry.

_“Jennifer…I’m so sorry, baby. I love you. I swear I will do what I have to do to survive.”_

* * *

 

Emily has no idea how long she has been chained to the bed. At some point she had passed out again. A cool cloth on her head wakes her up. Someone is doctoring where she had been clubbed on the plane.

“Thank you,” she murmurs.

“You’re welcome, love,” Doyle says.

Emily swallows. “Why…why are you doctoring my wounds but leaving me tied to the bed?”

“I still haven’t decided if you’re Emily or Lauren,” he answers. “Until I know that, I’m hedging my bets, as they say in America.”

He strokes a hand down her face. Emily remembers a time that his touch had actually sent shivers of excitement through her body.

“You…you may not believe this but…Lauren really did fall in love with you.” She chuckles. “I’ve even had to talk about you to my shrink. Emily Prentiss has been a lesbian since she was 15. Lauren Reynolds was just supposed to trap you but something happened. She saw the man behind the dossier. I saw the man behind the dossier. It’s something I still haven’t reconciled within me but Lauren was…I was in love with you.”

Doyle slowly removes the blindfold from Emily’s face. She blinks a few times as her eyes try to adjust to the sudden light after being in darkness for so long. Blue eyes bore into brown.

“How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

She stares into his eyes. “You don’t.”

Doyle stares at her a few more minutes then gets up and leaves the room. Emily closes her eyes.

“ _I did love you. But now I despise you. It’s Jennifer that has my heart. And I will do what I have to do to get back to her_ ,” Emily vows to herself.

* * *

 

A little while later a middle-aged woman enters the room. She places clean clothes on the chair beside the bed. She then unties Emily’s wrists and ankles, freeing her from the bed. Emily slowly sits up.

“Thank you,” she says. “Where am I?”

The woman doesn’t answer, just goes into the attached bathroom to draw a bath for Emily. The agent stands and follows her. Her eyes flash the clothes on the chair and she inhales sharply. It is the outfit she had worn the day of the raid at Ian’s villa. She swallows, realizing Ian was going to make her Lauren in every way. She steps into the bathroom.

“Please, can you tell me anything? How long have I been here? They took my watch. I don’t even know the time,” she begs for information. She tries the same questions in every language she knows.

When the woman turns from the bath she sees Emily speaking. She lifts her hand, covering first her ear, then her mouth and shaking her head: the universal symbol for a deaf-mute. Emily squeezes her eyes shut to block the tears that threaten to fall.

“ _You bastard. You know how many languages I know and the only way to keep me from communicating is a deaf-mute. Fucking clever, Ian_.”

A gentle hand takes her injured left hand. The woman traces a finger over the dislocated joint. She looks at Emily, points to it and makes a gesture showing that she wants to fix it. Emily slowly nods. She closes her eyes…and smothers the scream as the woman pops it back into place. She opens her eyes and sees the woman place some bath salts in the now full tub and gestures to it. Emily nods her thanks as the woman steps into the other room.

Emily slowly undresses and slides into the tub. Since the insemination she had noticed her body ached more now. When the water cools, she gets out and dries off. With no other options she puts on the white linen outfit. When she exits the bathroom she finds Ian waiting for her. He smiles at her.

“Hello, Lauren.” He stands and runs a hand through her hair. “Is it always so dark?”

Emily nods. “Yes. It was lightened before to be more appealing to you.”

He strokes a hand down her cheek. “And it will be again. Soon. You’re going to become her again. In every way.”

Emily commands herself not to flinch, not to shudder, when he leans in and kisses her along her neck. His hands caress her sides. She forces herself to bring her arms up and around him. He kisses his way to her neck.

“Still a bit stiff, Emily. But you’re getting closer to her.” He leans back and looks into her eyes. He takes one of her hands and places it on his crotch. He is not hard. “We’ll both know when Lauren is really back.”

He turns and walks out of the room. Emily sobs and sinks down to the floor. “ _I’m sorry, Jennifer. I’m sorry for what I might have to do. So, so sorry_.”


	5. Chapter 5

It has been two days since Emily was taken. Two days since JJ kissed her son goodbye, expecting to see him that night. Two days since she had heard the stoic Ambassador Prentiss collapse. Two days since she had devastated her own parents. Two days since her life feels like it has ended. She is staring out the window, an icy rain making patterns on the glass that her eyes don’t see as she is lost in her own thoughts.

“ _Where are you, Emily? What has he done to you? Are you still alive? Please…please let him be after a replacement for Declan. If that’s what he wants then you are alive. If he simply wants revenge we’ve lost you. God, Emily, I love you so much. Please fight to stay alive for me.”_

A hand on her shoulder causes her to jump. She turns to see the concerned face of Penelope Garcia.

“Hi,” JJ says automatically.

Garcia winces at the dead tone in her best friend’s voice. “We just got pizza. Come have a slice or two.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“JJ…Jennifer…you’ll do her no good if you run yourself into the ground,” Garcia points out.

“What good am I to her now?”

“Hey, don’t be like that! You brought us the information we needed to track down the members of her task force. Sean and Tsia have been huge helps in tracking Ian Doyle’s contacts in Europe. If we can just find that guy Clyde Easter we may even be closer to finding her.”

“Yeah. Well, when we do let me know. Maybe then I can start believing we are close to finding her.” JJ turns back to the window.

“I love you, you know?” JJ just nods. Garcia sighs and heads back to the conference room. “She won’t come in, guys. I think we’re losing her. I’m scared.”

Morgan pulls her into a hug. Tsia watches the exchange and leaves the room. She walks across the bullpen to Hotch’s office. She enters and closes the door behind her.

“When I first met Emily Prentiss I thought there was no way that chick was going to bring down Ian Doyle.” JJ turns and glares at her. “She was hard, untrusting, and driven. I thought, ‘She’ll make a few bucks selling the weapons we get her and be gone.’ I’ve never been more wrong in my life.”

“Emily wouldn’t turn that way,” JJ says confidently.

“No, Emily wouldn’t. But I was looking at Lauren Reynolds. She was one scary bitch. I actually asked Sean if he was sure she was on our side.”

JJ can’t help but smile at that.

Tsia steps closer. “I never got to know the Emily Prentiss you and your teammates know. But I will tell you the Emily Prentiss I know will do what she has to do to stay alive. And the entire time she’s playing Doyle’s game, she’ll be thinking about you and about getting back into your arms. I’m not giving up until that moment comes. Are you?” she says challengingly.

JJ stares at the woman and finally smiles. “No…no I’m not giving up on her. Thank you for not coddling me the way everyone else has been. I know they mean well but I think I needed the tough love route.”

Tsia smiles. “Good. Come on and get some pizza. Maybe we can find that bastard Easter and get him to answer a few questions for us.”

JJ nods and follows Tsia back to the conference room. Everyone looks up as they walk in. JJ puts on a brave face.

“So…what have I missed?”

Hotch manages a small smile. “A few things. Grab a plate and I’ll get you caught up.”

JJ nods and grabs a slice of pizza. Her stomach feels like it may revolt but she forces herself to take a bite anyway. When the first bite stays down she keeps going. Hotch shows her the board detailing the members of the task force Emily was part of.

“One man, Jeremy Wolfe, was murdered last week. Sean knows a man in Boston that might be able to get us information on contacts Doyle has here in the states. He and Rossi are going to head up that way tomorrow. Elizabeth is pressing certain channels to track down Clyde Easter. He’s the key to the whole task force. Everything went through him.”

Tsia walks over. “And Clyde liked it that way. Emily nearly killed him once when he left her ass hanging out in the wind.”

“Marcos San Mejia,” JJ states.

Tsia raises an eyebrow in surprise. “She told you?”

“She told me some. She wanted to make sure I was safe if I ever had to run for my life. She never thought Doyle would take her and leave me out of it.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but if he took Emily, he considered taking you. My guess is he adapted his plan when he heard she was trying to get pregnant. Ian Doyle is meticulous. That’s why we took so long setting up Emily’s cover. And it’s why we never realized he was actually Valhalla.”

JJ starts to pace. “Emily got closer to him than anyone else ever did. And she lived to tell about it. Who other than Clyde Easter would have that info?”

Tsia shrugs. “Someone would have had to document it somewhere but it would have been under extreme security.”

Garcia stiffens. “Oh, my God…I hacked it!”

Hotch spins around. “What?”

“When Phillipe had me, I hacked a database at the CIA that had a ghost drive to Interpol. I downloaded a bunch of information on undercover operatives.”

JJ stares at her. “Did you see Emily?”

Garcia shakes her head. “No. Once it was downloading I went on to something else and just let it go. I was busy trying to leave crumbs for you all to find.”

“Can you find it again?” Hotch pushes.

Garcia thinks. “Um, yeah…I think so. I mean, I did a lot of shit that day. But I can try.”

“Do it. Maybe you hacking that ghost drive will draw Easter into the open.”

Garcia nods and heads to her computer room to try to re-hack that database. After she leaves, JJ starts to pace.

“What happened to Doyle once he was taken down?” she asks.

“He was dealt to the North Koreans,” Sean McAllister answers. “We’re still trying to find out if they sold him to another country or to his own people. The officials will never talk so we may never know unless we find an underling who wants to turn.”

“How did he find out who Emily really was?” JJ asks.

Tsia looks uncomfortable. “Jeremy Wolfe sold him the list of operatives on the task force. It was to be his…our retirement package.”

JJ glares at the woman. “Your… _your_   retirement package?”  
“I swear I didn’t know. We were engaged but I never knew what he had planned to do. I don’t know why he thought he could trust Doyle. I’m so sorry.”

JJ stares at the woman. She looks to be telling the truth. But she was also a skilled liar. JJ slowly turns and walks away.

“So do we have anything at all?”

Hotch sighs. “Lots of possible threads to pull but nothing solid. I’m sorry.”

JJ sighs. “I know you are. But that doesn’t help find her, does it.”

Hotch stiffens. JJ still had not forgiven him for hiding Henry and Francesca away. He was not sorry he’d done it but he was sorry he’d damaged his relationship with JJ. There is a knock on the door and Ned stands in the doorway. JJ rolls her eyes.

“Ned, can you just put the mail in my fucking office?”

“Uh, this one looks important. It’s from Agent Prentiss.”


	6. Chapter 6

The entire room freezes. JJ steps to him and rips the small, padded envelope out of his hands. The address label is computer generated. Hotch looks at the mail clerk.

“It’s been scanned for explosives?”

Ned nods, “Yes, sir. And for known poisons. We even irradiated it just to be safe.”

JJ stares at it. The return address is their home address but she knows it is not really from Emily as it had only been sent the day before. She looks at Hotch. “Maybe I should open it in private…just in case.”

He shakes his head. “You’re not opening that alone, JJ. If you want, I’ll open it for you.”

She stares at the envelope. She knows it could contain a finger or ear or other small body part; a warning to them to stop their search. She had to know. She slowly pulls the easy open tab. Taking a deep breath she squeezes it open. A choked sob escapes her throat. She reaches in and pulls out Emily’s wedding ring.

“Oh, no…no, no, no…”

Morgan wraps his arms around her.

“Morgan, she wouldn’t give it up. She wouldn’t. Oh, God…”

“She wouldn’t give it up but Doyle would take it,” Sean tells her. “He’s telling you she’s his now.”

JJ just shakes her head. Hotch smiles.

“This may be a good thing, JJ. He’d have done something else if he was planning to kill her. This leads me to think he’s keeping her alive. And we all know as long as she’s alive, she will be thinking of a way to get back to us or a way to get us information.”

JJ slowly nods. “You’re…you’re right. She’s alive…and damn it she will come back to me,” she states with determination.

She unhooks her necklace, the one Amy had given her many years ago, and slips the ring onto it. It will stay there until she can slip it back on Emily’s finger.

* * *

 

“Come on, you bastard, I know you’re in here somewhere. Where the hell is your little thread…HA! There you are. Okay, now to tug you a little and HA! Got you and now let’s finish making this blanket and…VOILA! GOT YOU!”

Garcia hits the speed dial for the conference room. “Please tell me something good, Baby Girl,” Morgan begs.

“I’m in.”

It takes him a second. “Wait…Interpol? You’re in?”

“Yep! Downloading all the information they don’t want us to see as we speak. If I end up in some dark European prison for this you better come visit me.”

“Baby Girl, I’ll become a security guard to keep you company every day,” he promises.

It had taken her nearly 6 hours to find all the pathways she had hacked last time and then to hack into the ghost drive…which had led to 2 more ghost drives…and then some more. Finally she had all the information on the task force including an addendum on one Declan Doyle.

She is not surprised to hear footsteps running towards her lair. Morgan, Hotch, JJ, Tsia, and Sean hurry in. She puts the info up on the large screen.

“The first drive contained all the information Director Ryder was able to piece together for us. The first ghost drive was the real names of the operatives. Again, already have that, thank you Sean McAlister. But there were two ghost drives attached to that one which contain the information that could be what we’re looking for. One shows that Clyde Easter knew Ian Doyle was out of North Korea 6 months ago.”

“Son of a fucking bitch,” JJ mutters. She spins on Sean. “Did he warn any of you?”

Sean shakes his head. “He never told me. And if he’d told Tsia she’d have told Emily.” Tsia nods in agreement.

“What was the other ghost drive, Garcia?” Hotch asks.

“It’s a drive on a Declan Doyle. I figure it’s his brother or something.”

“Oh my God,” JJ mutters.

Tsia frowns. “Doyle didn’t have a brother.”

“Declan was… _is_   his son,” JJ says. Tsia and Sean look shocked. “Emily hid his existence from the task force and then faked his death so he couldn’t be used against Doyle. My guess is that ghost drive shows what she did to convince him and the task force of the boy’s death.”

“But Declan is alive?” Hotch confirms.

“As far as I know,” JJ says. “Emily told me all about it when she realized how much Henry looked like Declan. She wanted to keep Henry and me safe.” She laughs humorlessly. “Heaven forbid she worry about keeping her own damn self safe.”

Tsia takes JJ’s hand. “That’s not fair, JJ. Telling you about that packet, telling you about Declan, that was all to protect her. We’re using that now to find her. And we  _will_   find her.”

Hotch slowly turns and looks at JJ. “I know it’s almost midnight but I need you to come with me for a minute.”

JJ sighs and follows Hotch down towards his office. She is confused when he gestures to the elevator and they ride down to the first floor. As they exit, she sees two Marine’s in full battle gear waiting at the security desk.

“They’re here to take you to Henry and Francesca. They’ll bring you back in the morning or sooner if we get a lead.”

JJ bursts into tears. She throws her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Hotch. I’m sorry for being such an ass.”

He returns the hug. “When Haley and Jack were in WitSec you were there for me, even giving me time with Henry under other pretenses because you knew I needed that contact. I’m sorry I forgot that for a time.”

JJ leans back. “We all sort of lose our minds when it comes to our loved ones, don’t we?”

Hotch smiles. “We do. I’ll keep going through the ghost drives Garcia found to see what we can use to find her.”

“Hotch…get some sleep. She’ll need us at our best.”

He smiles and nods. “You, too.”

He kisses her forehead in a fatherly manner and watches as she is escorted out of the building.

JJ’s leg shakes nervously as the Marine driving takes a twisting and turning route to the safe house. JJ is pretty sure she couldn’t find it if she tried and that was exactly the point. They escort her to the door and knock, giving a password to the woman on the other side. As she starts to enter, she stops and looks at her escorts.

“Thank you. I know he’s safe because of you. It means more to me than I can say.”

One Marine smiles and nods. “Just doing our job, ma’am.”

She heads inside, thanking the two Marine’s on duty in the house. The female sergeant who answered the door points her towards Henry’s room. She eases open the door and sees him asleep in a crib, the black teddy bear he got for Christmas clutched in his hand. She lifts him up and he groans but doesn’t wake. She takes him with her to the room she had been told to use.

Crawling onto the bed with him she watches him sleep. She strokes his hair and kisses his head.

“I love you, Henry. Your Mama is missing you so much right now. I know it. She is missing you and doing what she can to get back to us. I promise you. Yes, Champ, she is.”

Cuddling Henry close, JJ fingers the ring hanging on her necklace. “I love you, Emily Elizabeth Prentiss. Don’t you dare make me a widow. My life is nothing without you.”


	7. Chapter 7

Emily was going crazy in her prison cell. Sure it was an opulently decorated room but it was still a prison cell. The two large windows had been bricked over. Her only human contact is with the deaf-mute woman who is careful not to communicate with gestures unless obviously commanded to.

“ _Where the hell am I?”_ Emily wonders. “ _Am I even in America any more? I could be in Ireland or Tuscany or anyplace he has a fucking home. Why hasn’t he come back to me? Oh, God, what if he was recaptured. What if no one knows I’m here? I could die here and no one would—no, stop that, Emily. Stop thinking that way! It will do you no good_.”

Her self-recrimination ends as the door opens and Ian walks in. Despite herself, Emily is glad to see him and she smiles.

“Hi.”

He grins smugly. “Missing human interaction, are you?”

Emily shrugs. “What can I say, I’m a social butterfly.”

He chuckles. And for a moment, she can see the kind, loving man behind the monster. He steps closer to her and hands her a bag.

“I have to go away for a few days. It will give you time to get this done.”

She opens the bag and sees the hair dye in it. Already without the benefit of being straightened every day her natural waves were reasserting themselves. With this dye her hair, though shorter, would be more like Lauren’s.

“There are also prenatal vitamins in there for you.” He runs his hand over her stomach. “I need to keep my bairn healthy.”

She smiles at him. “Thank you. Ian…can I go outside? I’m losing my mind in here. I need…I need sunlight. That will keep me and the baby healthy, too.”

Ian stares at her a moment. He strokes a hand down her cheek. “Maybe when I get back we can revisit it. By then maybe you’ll be ready to show me more of Lauren.”

Emily’s shoulders slump. “Please, Ian. I need fresh air.”

He steps closer, lifts her hand and once again places it on his flaccid crotch. “Lauren doesn’t beg, Emily.”

He turns and leaves the room. In frustration, Emily throws the bag across the room. She slides to the floor, not bothering to stop her tears.


	8. Chapter 8

Rossi and Sean head for Boston on the first flight out of Reagan in the morning. They pray that a man named Fahey will give them the information they need to connect with Doyle’s U.S. network. They spend the day trying to track the man down. They finally catch up with him…at the morgue. Rossi looks at the M.E.

“He was shot?”

“Yes. Looks like a .45 up close and personal. He was found in his car. Whoever did it was in the backseat. Poor bastard probably never knew what hit him.”

Rossi looks at Sean. The Scottish man nods. “Sounds like Doyle. Fahey was the doorman between Reynolds and Doyle. Doyle would want him eliminated in case we tracked him down.”

“Son of a bitch. If only we’d found him yesterday,” Rossi laments.

“Truth is if the idiot let himself get ambushed like this he probably hasn’t had contact with Doyle since that introduction. He may not have known he set up Doyle with an Interpol agent.”

Rossi nods. “True. Otherwise he’d have high-tailed it out of here. Any chance he has someone we could get information from?”

“Doubt it. Even back then he was a blowhard. No one wanted to be around him. We can tug a few strings but I don’t know if we’ll find anything.”

Rossi shrugs. “May as well make the trip worthwhile.”

The two men thank the M.E. for his time and head out. As they reach the street Rossi gets a call from Hotch. He leans against the building to answer as Sean continues on to their car.

“Hotch, Fahey’s dead.”

“Dave, we just got a call. Sean McAllister’s wife and daughter were found murdered last night.”

“What?” Rossi blurts.

“He needs to go home. I’m sorry to ask you to do this but can you tell him?”

Rossi sighs and starts towards their car. “Yes, of course. He’s going to be—

An explosion throws Rossi backwards. Hotch hears it and then nothing as Rossi’s phone disconnects. Rossi can only stare in disbelief as what’s left of the car…and Sean McAllister burns. He looks around as he hears his phone start to ring.

“Hotch?” Rossi answers.

“Dave, what the hell was that?”

“That was our car exploding. Sean was in it.”

“Oh my God. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. But I’m pissed. That’s the third connection to Lauren and Doyle murdered. You best get Tsia into protective custody. He’s cutting all ties to himself and Emily.”

Hotch sighs. “I’ll let her know. Be careful, Dave. Get your ass back here in one piece.”

“That’s definitely my plan,” Rossi agrees. “I’ll let you know when I’m booked.”

He hangs up to start answering the questions from the police and fire first responders.

* * *

 

It has now been one week since Emily went missing. Garcia has hacked databases the world over but Ian Doyle is obviously using someone else to pay for his lifestyle. He doesn’t seem to exist except in the still photos printed from the security cameras the day Emily was abducted.

When Hotch’s cell rings with an unknown caller he prays it’s someone with a lead on Emily.

“Hotchner.”

“Hotchner, it’s Reginald Cervantes. I’m repaying a debt. Be at Dulles in 30 minutes. Clyde Easter, aka Reverend Basil Rogers, will get detained by security. He’s all yours.”

Hotch is surprised by the call from his CIA counterpart but infinitely thankful. “Thanks, Chief.”

“Just get Prentiss home and destroy that bastard Doyle once and for all.”

Cervantes hangs up without even a goodbye. Hotch leaves his office, a new spring in his step. He runs to the conference room to find Morgan and JJ combing through some reports Garcia had “borrowed” from a French police database.

“Clyde Easter is about to be detained at Dulles. JJ, can you handle helping Morgan retrieve him?”

JJ stands. “You bet your ass I can.”

“Then go. Now. But be careful. If Doyle’s on to him he won’t hesitate to take you two out with him. He proved that when he nearly killed Rossi.”

Morgan and JJ head for their SUV. Both are filled with nervous tension. Her wife. His best friend. The man that could lead them to her. Morgan pushes his driving skills to the limit. When they arrive they park in the taxi lane closest to the security office. An airport security officer guards their vehicle as they badge their way inside. They hear the man complaining from the lobby of the office.

“I want to speak to the British Consulate NOW!”

“Sir, traveling with that much undisclosed cash, you will be lucky to speak to them any time soon. That looks like it could be used to fund terrorist operations. Per the Patriot Act we’re turning you over to Federal Law Enforcement.”

“Fucking great,” Clyde complains. “You’re all bloody worthless hacks anyway. Maybe at least the Feds will be of assistance.”

“Don’t count on it,” JJ says sharply.

Clyde turns, his eyes widen when he sees JJ. Morgan flashes his badge at the TSA agent. “We need a moment alone with Reverend Rogers.”

The agent nods and steps out of the room. Clyde’s eyes have not left JJ’s face. Her scowl has not changed.

“He has her, doesn’t he,” Clyde states, not needing to wonder at the look in JJ’s eyes.

“Where would he take her? And why the hell didn’t you warn her he was out?”

“I didn’t know! I thought—”

JJ grabs him by the collar and slams him into the wall. “BULLSHIT! You knew 6 months ago he was out! My guess is that’s the real reason you contacted her just before New Year’s. You thought her suspension meant you could draw her back into his world, your world, and go after him again. And when she turned you down you said NOTHING! He’s had her for 1 week now. 1 fucking week. And for every injury, mental or physical, he bestows on her I’ll repay them on you tenfold.”

Morgan had stood back, saying nothing. It is obvious Clyde knew of JJ but had no idea how fierce she could be. When the Englishman looks to Morgan for help, the profiler just raises an eyebrow.

“I back her 100%,” Morgan informs him.

JJ smacks Clyde. “Don’t you look away from me. You come with us and you help us. You help us find her or I swear to God we will bury you with the Patriot Act.”

Clyde sighs. “Doyle is killing off members of the task force. I’d be a fool not to accept the protection offered by Quantico. Shall we go?” he says as if asking to go on a picnic.

JJ glares at the man a moment. Reaching behind her she pulls out her cuffs as she spins him around.

“Oh, really now! Is this necessary?” he whines as she cuffs him.

“Necessary,” she ratchets them a little tighter. “And satisfying. Let’s go.”

Morgan grabs the bag of money as JJ shoves Clyde ahead of her out the door. They get him secured in the SUV and head towards Quantico. As they drive JJ turns and looks at him.

“Will he kill her?”

“When he’s done with her, yes, he will. But I believe right now she has something he wants,” he says smugly, letting JJ see he knows about the baby. “That’s in her favor.”

“And if she loses the baby?”

Clyde chuckles. “You think he won’t make another with her? Those two used to fuck like rabbits.”

Morgan’s arm reaches out and stops JJ’s leap over the backseat.

“DOWN, Agent Jareau! He’s just baiting you.”

“If you think that you’re delusional, Agent Morgan. He wants Lauren Reynolds back. He’s got Emily Prentiss right now. But I guarantee if he has her very long he’ll turn her back into Lauren.”

“That’s just more proof you never knew Emily Prentiss,” JJ states before turning her attention back to the window beside her.

Clyde just rolls his eyes, not sure if the woman is a fool or blinded by love. Either way, she needs to get used to her wife being gone because he knows Emily Prentiss is never coming home alive.


	9. Chapter 9

Ian walks into the room. Emily looks up in surprise. She had begun to think he wasn’t coming back. He sees the happiness in her eyes.

“You’re here,” she whispers before she can stop herself.

“Yes, love.”

She stands up from the chair as he walks towards her. He runs his fingers through her wavy, light brown hair. He looks over the outfit she wears, one of many he had purchased based on ones she’d worn in Tuscany. He smiles approvingly.

“You look lovely, Emily. But I can see Lauren still isn’t quite with us.”

Tears well in Emily’s eyes. “What do I need to do? What am I missing?”

He gives her a crooked grin. “It’s the look in your eyes, love. You’re scared. Lauren was ruthless and passionate, but never scared.”

“Lauren never thought you were going to kill her. And she was never pregnant and worried about her child,” Emily points out.

Ian stares at her for a moment. That was something he hadn’t considered. He reaches up and starts to unbutton her blouse. Emily never breaks eye contact with him. When it’s completely undone he steps back and looks at her stomach. His eyes slowly rise to her chest. He sees the flush of color on her breasts and cheeks under his scrutiny. He steps to her again, slowly buttoning the blouse back up. He runs a hand gently through her hair…then grasps it viciously.

“Lauren wouldn’t be embarrassed by my admiration of her body, Emily,” he says venomously. He backhands her and walks out of the room.

Emily collapses back onto the chair. She buries her face in her hands. “ _What the hell do I do? Do I have to forget Jennifer to get a chance to escape? I have no chance if I’m stuck in this fucking room. But when he looked at me I felt…felt like I was cheating on Jen. Oh, God, baby, what if I have to…have to…_ ” She sits back in the seat. “ _At some point I’m going to have to do something with him. Maybe it’s best I do forget Jennifer. Maybe I forget all about that life and accept this is my lot. Maybe…maybe I just accept that I_ **am** _Lauren Reynolds_.”

Emily slowly stands and walks into the bathroom. She stares into the mirror. She picks up the make-up on the vanity. It is lighter than Emily Prentiss uses. It is what Lauren Reynolds used. She stares at herself in the mirror and starts the subtle shading she once used. Soon the person looking back at her is Lauren Reynolds.

“I am Lauren Reynolds. I am Lauren Reynolds. I am Lauren Reynolds.”

She repeats the mantra over and over again to herself as she stares into the mirror. The next time Ian comes to see her she will prove it to both of them.


	10. Chapter 10

Clyde Easter stares at Tsia Mosely. She steps closer…and punches him in the face. JJ smiles, wishing she’d had the justification to do it.

“You knew he was out and told NO ONE! You stupid FUCK!” she screams at him.

Clyde sneers at her. “Your sweetheart Jeremy knew, didn’t he, darling. Seems odd to me that   _you_   didn’t.”

“Jeremy made a stupid, reckless, and ultimately deadly mistake. But you had to know Emily is the one he’d most want. We’re all just dead meat. She’s the one that he’ll make suffer. Why the  _hell_ didn’t you warn her?” Tsia demands.

“I couldn’t! I tried to get her back on the payroll and THEN I could have told her. I even mentioned we had a case she’d love but she wasn’t interested. I couldn’t force her to rejoin Interpol and I couldn’t reveal what we knew unless she did.”

“You are so full of shit,” JJ spits at him. “You wanted something to hold over her head. My guess is you were getting ready to approach her in person when she was snatched. And that’s why you went under the radar. If Doyle could get Jeremy and her, he could get you. You’re a coward, Clyde. A huge, fucking coward.”

“And now Sean’s dead,” Tsia tells him. The look on his face tells them all he had no idea. “Yep, that just leaves you and me untouched, Clyde. So you better talk soon because your days on this earth are as numbered as mine.”

Clyde slowly looks from her to JJ. Looking at the fiery ice in the blonde agent’s eyes he suddenly thinks he might have a better chance facing off with Doyle than with JJ. He sighs.

“Two questions: What do you have so far? And what are you willing to do to stop him?”

“Everything we have is in this room,” JJ tells him. “As to what we will do to stop him, I’ll put a bullet in his fucking head for what he’s done to her.”

Clyde stares at her and nods. “I believe you will.” He turns to Hotch. “I need to make a call. I can get you access to certain files that aren’t easy to find.”

Garcia steps forward. “If you mean the 22 ghost files, we’ve got them. We just need help figuring out some of the codes names and locations.”

Clyde stares at her. “Who the bloody hell authorized the release of the ghost files?”

Hotch steps between them. “I did. You’re on our turf now, playing our game, to find our player. Sit your ass down and start on the files. Garcia and Reid will walk you through the ones we’re having the most trouble with.”

Clyde steps past Hotch to the table. JJ turns and walks out of the room. She doesn’t break down until she gets to her office. This man had known Emily was in danger. And he hadn’t done one damn thing to protect her. Now for 1 week she’s been going through a Hell the liaison can’t even begin to contemplate. One thing JJ knows is if they don’t find Emily, Clyde Easter is a dead man. She would see to that.

Knowing she needs to clear hear head, she grabs her gym bag. She runs into Morgan in the hallway.

“I need to punch something. If I stay up here it will be Clyde Easter.”

Morgan grins. “I hear you. Mind a work out partner?”

JJ manages a small smile. “You won’t cry if I hurt you?”

Morgan chuckles. “That’s the JJ I’ve been missing. I’ll see you down there.”

JJ nods and gets in the elevator. As it descends she pulls out her phone and flips through the pictures of Emily and Henry. Last night Henry had screamed and screamed for his Mama. JJ and Francesca were distraught as nothing, not even the CD of Emily singing his favorite lullaby had helped. When he had finally fallen asleep, JJ had cried for hours, knowing she was unable to get him to understand why Emily wasn’t there for him. She hated feeling helpless.

“ _Where are you, baby? Where the hell is he holding you? Please, hold on for us. We are going to find you, Emily Prentiss. Don’t you fucking make me a widow.” She wipes the tears from her cheeks. “And you do what you have to do to stay alive. Even if you have to…God…if he makes you…you just do what you have to do to stay alive. I can forgive anything you do to stay alive. I love you so much. Come back to me, Emily. Please. Come back to all of us_.”

As the elevator opens JJ storms off, nearly knocking over the person waiting for the car. She mutters an apology and keeps going towards the locker rooms.

“JJ?”

JJ stops and realizes it was Emily’s old Academy friend Vicky Cartwright she had nearly tackled.

“Vicky.”

The agent steps closer. “JJ, I just heard what happened. Is there any word on Emily?”

JJ sighs. “No. Not yet. We’re having to pull a bunch of info in from Interpol and other agencies around the world. It’s a bureaucratic pile of steaming shit. But every department that can possibly help us is working with us. We even got an assist from the CIA.”

“Wow.”

JJ nods. “Yeah. It’s been one week but Doyle needs something from Emily so as long as she can give it to him she’s safe. And as long as she’s safe we’ll keep looking for her. We’ll find her. I know we will.”

“I know. And if you need an extra hand with anything, let me know. I’m here teaching for the next month. Any free time I have is yours.”

JJ squeezes the woman’s arm. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I’ll let Hotch know.”

The women separate and JJ heads into the locker rooms to change. By the time Morgan catches up with her she is pounding a heavy bag. Without saying a word he steps up behind it to hold it and make it easy for her to attack relentlessly. His mind flashes back to a time Emily had held the bag for him in the aftermath of the Foyet and Belser cases.

“ _I’m taking care of her, Emily_ ,” he thinks to himself. “ _I’m taking care of her until you get back here to do it yourself. You fight, Emily. Don’t you give up on us. Don’t you give up on her_.”

* * *

 

Tsia Mosely steps outside to the smoking area. It has been nearly 4 years since she smoked but when Jeremy died she started again. She paces around the parking lot trying to get a handle on her fury at Clyde Easter.

It doesn’t help that she feels claustrophobic being sequestered here at Quantico. Once Sean had died Hotch had convinced her she was safer here on the secured base than anywhere else. She wants to be out chasing leads, tracking suspects, not hidden away like some damsel in distress.

As she turns to go back inside her body jerks. An agent heading inside sees her fall and runs over to see if she’s okay, thinking she had tripped. He rolls her over…and sees the bullet hole in her forehead. He pulls his gun and leaps behind a nearby bench, trying to locate the shooter. But with all the woods and cars in the lot the shot could have come from anywhere. Since he heard nothing, he knows the shooter had a silencer on the gun. He whips out his cell phone and calls security.

Ten minutes later Hotch and Rossi watch as Tsia’s body is zipped into a body bag.

“He got onto Quantico, Dave. He got someone onto Quantico to kill her. This guy is so far ahead of us. I’m starting to get sick of being so far behind the bastards we’re tracking.”

Rossi pats his shoulder. “Maybe when we get Emily back we can all take a vacation. I’m sure JJ can find a case in, say, Hawaii for us. Maybe a lost puppy or something. Could take us weeks to find it.”

Hotch manages a chuckle. “I’ll mention it to her.” His smile fades. “What if we don’t find Emily?”

“We will, Aaron. I refuse to believe otherwise. Doyle needs her and she will do what she has to do to survive.”

Hotch nods. “Keep telling me that. Right now we need to go let the others know what’s happened out here. And Clyde Easter doesn’t leave this building until we have Emily back. We can’t afford to lose the last member of her team.”

The two men head inside knowing their leads are dwindling. If they lose Easter, they lose Emily.


	11. Chapter 11

The next time Ian Doyle walks into Emily’s room she is sitting at the chair staring at the door. She is wearing the white linen outfit again. Her light brown, wavy hair just brushes her shoulders. Her make-up gives her a soft look, which contrasts with the hard look in her eyes. She raises an eyebrow at him and he feels his penis start to harden.

“She lied to you before,” Lauren states.

“Oh? About what?”

“She didn’t get rid of the necklace. She hid it from Clyde, Sean, all of them.” Emily stands and steps towards him. “She keeps it in a velvet bag in a safe. She takes it out sometimes, caressing the gimmal rings, remembering your touch.”

“And did she show it to her wife?” he asks venomously.

Lauren shakes her head. “It wasn’t hers to see.” She slowly stands and approaches him. “Avez-vous le temps de reprendre contact?”*

He raises a hand up and brushes it through her hair. She leans into the touch. This time he does not grab her. He brings his hand down to her collar bone, easing the collar of the shirt away from her neck and leaning in to kiss her there. He feels her body tremble at the touch. He sucks at her pulse point. Emily moans, bring her hands up to his hips, pulling him closer. He grabs her hips and pushes her back towards the wall.

“Oh, Ian,” she moans, her breath coming in short gasps.

His mouth crushes onto hers, his tongue demanding and being granted access. Their tongues battle each other, each trying to own the other. He grinds into her and she feels his erection through his pants. She shudders with revulsion before she can stop herself.

Ian slowly leans back, staring into her eyes. His lips curl in a sneer. He spins, throwing her to the ground behind him. He rears his foot back to kick her. Emily curls into a ball, her arms wrapped around her stomach to protect her child.

“NO!” she screams.

He stops his foot just inches from her. He is breathing hard, his eyes boring into her. She stares up at him in terror. He steps back and spits at her.

“Close, Emily. Next time you won’t resurface. You lose a little more of yourself each time. And next time, even if you do show up, I’ll finish what we started.”

He turns and storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Emily lies on the floor, crying…for the benefit of the cameras she had located in the room. She crawls to where she has determined there is a blind spot, acting as if she doesn’t know.

There are very few things that Lauren and Emily share in common. One of those things is they will not be any man’s prisoner.

From her pocket, Emily pulls Ian’s cell phone. He had been so lost in his fantasy he never felt her lift it from his pocket. She knows it won’t be long until he knows it’s gone. She has one chance. Her hands shake as she dials.

“Come on…come on…answer, God damn it,” she mutters.

“FBI BAU, Penel--”

“Garcia! Trace this! Hurry!”

“EMILY?! OH MY GOD!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * “Do you have time to get reacquainted?” Per Babylon translator.


	12. Chapter 12

“Hurry, Pen! And if we get cut off tell Jennifer I love her. I’m fighting to get back to her. To all of you.”

“I will, I will, oh, Emily, oh shit.”

Emily can hear Garcia typing away. As soon as Kevin had heard Garcia say Emily’s name he had raced out of the analyst’s office.

“EMILY’S ON THE PHONE! HURRY!” he yells.

The agents in the conference room race down the hall, JJ in the lead. They practically fall over each other to get into the room. It has now been two weeks since they had lost their agent; their friend.

“EMILY!”

“Oh, God, Jen? Baby, is that you?”

“Emily, where the fuck are you?”

“I don’t know. We got on a plane. That private airstrip in Manassas. I wasn’t awake for the flight and I’m in a sealed up room. I don’t know where I am.”

“Garcia, what do you have?” Hotch presses.

“It’s fucking jumping all over and I’m trying but it’s taking time.”

“Emily, you listen to me,” JJ tells her. “You do what you have to do to survive, you hear me? You do what you have to do even if you have to fuck that bastard. You just stay alive, you hear me?”

Emily starts to cry. “No…Jen…I can’t…I won’t.”

“If it keeps you alive, you do it, God damn it. Promise me!”

“I…oh, shit…he’s coming back. Garcia?”

“I…I…shit…more time…need more…oh, God…” Garcia is typing faster than she has ever typed in her life.

* * *

 

The door to the room crashes open. Ian comes in, angrier than Emily had ever seen him. “YOU BITCH!”

“JEN! I LOVE YOU!” Emily yells as he smacks the phone out of her hand.

He grabs Emily and throws her towards the bed. “Stupid fucking bitch. You’ll spend your entire pregnancy tied down.”

He smacks her across the face. She tries to scramble away from him. He kicks her arm out from under her. She falls on her face and he sits down on her back. He grabs her by the hair, pulling her backwards painfully.

“You really are Lauren. She was a lying, conniving bitch, too.”

“She…she is…no man’s…prisoner. Neither…neither am I,” Emily grunts out.

“Well, you’re wrong about that now, aren’t you? You’re mine, Emily Prentiss. And you’ll be my bitch for as long as I need you, however I need you. And someday maybe I’ll give your body back to your whore of a wife. Or maybe…maybe I’ll collect her and have her join us. That’s the only way that bitch will ever see you alive again.”

He slams her head into the floor, knocking her unconscious. When she wakes, she is again tied to the bed.

* * *

 

Unbeknownst to Ian, when he smacked the phone away it didn’t disconnect. The good news was this gave Garcia longer to track the signal. The bad news was this meant they had to listen to him beat Emily and threaten JJ.

When he does finally shut the phone off, JJ drops into a nearby chair. The team waits impatiently as Garcia and Kevin try to narrow in on the signal area.

“YES! No. Sort of. Maybe.” Garcia spins around in her chair. “He’s in Canada. Somewhere near New Brunswick.”

“Makes sense,” Clyde Easter states. “Lots of open land, even a few islands he could have a stronghold on. And a quick route back to Ireland.”

Hotch thinks a moment. “Garcia, do any of Doyle’s known associates have ties to New Brunswick?”

JJ shakes her head. “No. Not known associates. Garcia, check for known enemies.” She looks at the others. “Lauren built her business by taking out one dealer at a time. If he is rebuilding his empire he’d do it the same way. It’s the only way. It’s not like he can take out an ad on CareerBuilder, right?”

Hotch smiles. “Nice job, profiler.”

JJ can’t smile but she does give him a nod. Garcia and Kevin start to type.

Reid had been silent. Rossi watches him, knowing Reid is scanning in his mind the pages and pages of information he had read. Suddenly his right hand starts to shake. He looks around to Garcia’s electronic map. Grabbing a dry erase marker he starts to draw lines and boxes on it. He uses triangles, squares and circles as identifiers only he understands. He suddenly spins around.

“Garcia, look up the name Alexi Korsokov.” Garcia nods as Reid turns to the others. “He’s a former member of the Russian army. When the Soviet Union fell he disappeared along with most of the weapons in the armory he was in charge of. It was his entry into the arms world.”

“Korsokov died 18 years ago,” Clyde points out, irritated.

“I know. Just about the time Ian Doyle started showing up on the weapons market. If Lauren moved up by over-throwing other dealers wouldn’t Doyle have done the same?”

“Look, you’ve read a few pieces of paper but there’s no way you know something more than I do,” Clyde states. “I’ve studied Ian Doyle for—”

Garcia gladly interrupts the man’s dressing down of Reid. “Korsokov’s wife’s brother owned a hunting lodge in New Brunswick. According to property records it hasn’t been used for 3 years but 7 months ago the electric and water were turned on under the pretense of trying to open it up again. The controlling interest group is known as Reynolds Vengeance Outfitters.” Garcia turns and glares at him. “You owe Reid an apology, you pompous asshole.”

This time JJ does manage a smile as Clyde looks appropriately ashamed. Morgan claps Reid on the back.

“Nice job, pretty boy.” He looks at Hotch. “What do we do?”

Hotch stares with determination. “I’ll make a call to the director. Get your cold weather gear ready. Whether he approves the op or not we’re going to get her back.”


	13. Chapter 13

Emily turns her head as the door to the room opens. A woman she hasn’t seen before enter pulling along an ultrasound machine. Emily frowns at her.

“Hi, I’m Betty. I’ll be your midwife. Mr. Reynolds wants me to check on the baby. He says you’ve had a bit of an accident. So sad. Hopefully your head injury will get better and you won’t have to be restrained. Head injuries can be so scary.”

Emily stares at the woman. Before she can tell her what’s really happening Ian steps in behind the woman. He slides his hand out of his pocket, showing Emily the small firearm he holds. He flicks his eyes to Betty and then back to Emily, the threat clear: if Emily says a word, the woman is dead. Emily just turns her head away from the woman and man.

“There, there, honey. Things will be fine. I’m sure the baby is just fine,” the woman says soothingly.

Emily prays the woman is correct. Soon the machine is set up. Betty unbuttons Emily’s blouse and puts the gel on her stomach. She turns the machine on and brings the transducer across Emily’s belly. For only the second time, Emily gets to hear her baby’s heartbeat. She lets out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. She looks over to the screen.

“Ah, there she is. Or it could be a he. Too soon to tell. But I can tell you it is healthy, strong heartbeat. You’ve got a fighter in there, Mrs. Reynolds.”

Emily cringes at the name but smiles. “Thank you.” She looks up at Ian. He is staring at the screen, the wonder in his eyes reminds Emily of the good times he and Lauren had. She swallows. “I hope he grows up to be a man just like his daddy.”

Ian slowly turns and looks at her. His expression says all she needs to know. As long as the child is alive, she would be too. She slowly nods, acknowledging that all she wants to do is bring this child into life.

“Well, is there anything else I can help with today?” Betty asks.

“No, I think we have all we need now. Liam will show you out,” Ian tells her.

“Okay. Well, you all take care and I’ll see you in two weeks. Maybe by then you’ll be back on your feet,” she says to Emily.

Emily forces a practiced smile to her face. “Hopefully. Thank you.”

Liam meets the woman in the hallway. He gives Doyle a look that says he’s an idiot. Doyle just laughs and shuts the door. He pulls the chair up beside Emily. He strokes a hand down her cheek.

“She’s not coming back, is she?”

Emily looks him in the eyes, knowing he’s talking about Lauren. “No. She can’t. She cost me too much. Even if I never see Jennifer again, I can never willingly be with you. You would have to rape me to have me that way. And I don’t think you can do that.”

“You’re right, love, I can’t. But don’t take that to mean I’ve got compassion for you.”

“I don’t. You hate me. And that’s fine. But at least I know now you’ll love this child. That makes me feel better. I have no illusions here, Ian. I know I’m dead as soon as you don’t need me anymore.” She sighs. “In all honesty, knowing the end is near is a relief. I’m tired of running from you…and from Lauren. I hate her and that’s not easy because I  _am_   her.”

There is a knock on the door and Seamus comes in, wheeling a machine Emily is unfamiliar with. Ian smiles as the man sets it up then leaves.

“I saw you still have your two tattoos: Strength and Alone. Did I miss any others?”

Emily shakes her head. “No. Those are all I ever wanted or need.”

Ian smiles. “I got some news ones in that prison you sent me to. I thought I should return the favor.”

Emily starts to squirm. “Uh, no. Really, Ian. I could have an allergic reaction to the ink. It would be bad for the baby.”

Ian grins. “Oh, love, they don’t have the money for fancy things like ink and such. They do something a little more…natural.” He turns on the small torch.

“No…please, no…Ian, no, please…” Emily begs.

“The more you struggle the more it will hurt.” He rips open her blouse. “Stay still, love. Time to mark you with the symbol of Valhalla.”

Emily screams as he starts to brand her left breast. He smiles, his sadistic side at the forefront of this assault. By the time he is done she can only whimper, the pain beyond what she has ever experienced. He smiles.

“Beautiful.” He holds up his wrist to show her the shamrock with the hidden V in it. “Looks like this, only no colors. Much better for the baby, wouldn’t you say?”

He stands and leaves the room, not bothering to cover Emily’s chest.

“ _Oh, Jennifer…how will you be able to look at me again with this fucking reminder in your face? I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry I brought this horror into your life. I’m so sorry I didn’t run the other way when I realized I was falling for you. So fucking sorry I was so selfish that I fell in love with you. You didn’t deserve this, Jennifer. I don’t deserve you.”_


	14. Chapter 14

“Agent Hotchner? Constable Robert Shafer, Strategic Response Unit. I have the surveillance photos you asked for. My men are at your beck and call until the extraction is complete.”

Hotch shakes the hand of the Canadian police officer. “Thank you. We’re going in at nightfall. Are we still looking at 15 men plus Doyle?”

“As far as we can tell. We’ve only seen one woman there on a regular basis. We did see another woman leave today. She’s a midwife.”

“Midwife?” JJ blurts.

“Yes. My men are bringing her in for questioning now.”

“Do you mind if we take point on that?” Hotch asks.

Shafer shakes his head. “No problem. This is about getting your agent out safely. I know the brass is all about the recapture of Doyle but when another law enforcement officer is in danger that’s my concern.”

“Thank you.”

Twenty minutes later, JJ holds Garcia’s hand as they stare through the 2-way mirror. Reid sits across from the scared woman, his calm, unimposing demeanor helping to settle her.

“Did you visit with this woman today?” He holds up a bureau picture of Emily.

She stares at it a moment. “I…I don’t know. It could be her. Maybe. But the hair’s wrong. And with all the bruising from the accident it’s hard to say.”

JJ whimpers. Garcia just grips her hand tighter.

Reid pulls out a photo of Lauren Reynolds. “Could this be her?”

Betty smiles. “Yes! I guess the other one is an old picture.”

Reid smiles and nods. “Yes, it is.” He glances towards the mirror.

“My God…he’s turned her into Lauren,” JJ whispers. “Baby, what has he done to you?”

“You said she had some bruises?” Reid questions.

“Yes. Mr. Reynolds explained he and his wife were in a car accident. Swerved to miss a caribou in the road. She has a bad head injury making her get violent delusions. The doctor had him restrain her for her own good.”

“Restrain her? How?”

“She’s tied to a bed to keep from thrashing around.”

JJ’s knees wobble at the thought of how vulnerable that would make Emily to rape. She pulls away from Garcia and starts to pace.

“I see. Tell me, was the baby okay?” Reid asks.

Betty smiles and nods. “Oh, yes. Strong heartbeat. That’s going to be a tough little tyke! To be so strong after an accident like they had bodes well. Mrs. Reynolds must be one tough lady.”

“You have no idea,” JJ murmurs. For the first time, JJ has a bit of hope to hold on to. The baby was okay. As long as the baby is okay, Ian won’t kill Emily. Obviously he’ll hurt her but not kill her.

“Can you draw for us exactly what room Em—uh, Mrs. Reynolds is in? Draw everything you can remember.”

Betty stares at Reid a moment. “What exactly is going on?”

Reid stares at her a moment. “Her name isn’t Lauren Reynolds. It’s Emily Prentiss. She’s a FBI agent. The man holding her is an international fugitive. You’ll stay here for your own protection until we apprehend him and his men and rescue Agent Prentiss.”

The woman nods, her eyes and breathing telling even non-profilers she had no idea what she’d been drawn into. When she finishes the drawing Reid heads out to the others.

“Great job, Reid,” Morgan praises him. “You got us everything we need.”

“Not until we have Emily back,” Reid corrects him.

Morgan smiles. “Then let’s go get her.”


	15. Chapter 15

Emily looks at the door as Ian walks in with a bowl of soup. She looks away from him.  
  
“Now, now, love. Don’t hold a grudge.” Emily says nothing. “You need to eat, Emily. For the baby.”

Emily glares at him. She wants to argue, to refuse but she knows he is right. “Are you going to untie me so I can eat?”

He gives her his half-grin. “No. I’m going to feed you, love. I know it’s not peeled grapes or brie on crackers like the good old days but it will have to do.”

Emily sighs and nods. He props a pillow up under her head to make it a little easier for her. He brings up a spoon of the beef stew to her lips. She sips it in, wincing as it burns her mouth. He sees this. The next spoonful he brings up to his own lips and blows on it until it cools some. When he brings it to her lips, she is able to eat it with no problem. Soon the bowl is done. He sets it to the side and stares at her. He readjusts the pillow to a more comfortable resting position. He even closes her blouse to give her a bit of dignity. She stares into his eyes, seeing the evil, yet joyful glint they take on.

“I should tell you something, love,” he says, deceptively calm. “Jeremy Wolfe, Sean McAlister, and Tsia Mosely are dead. The only member of your team to avoid my reign of vengeance is Clyde Easter. He’s gone into hiding. But we’ll find him soon enough.”

Emily’s heart clenches. “Why? Ian, why did you kill them? It was me that brought you down!”

“They helped you, love. Don’t try to deny that.” He stands. “And you should know I now have to kill Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Derek Morgan—”

“NO! Ian, you have ME!”

“—Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia…and Jennifer Jareau Prentiss.”

“NO! WHY? You have me, Ian, please…please don’t hurt them,” she begs.

“It’s your fault, love. You called them. You dragged them into this instead of just fading away. They had two weeks to forget about you but then you go and call them. Even though the phone bounces the signal they’ll keep looking for you. We’re leaving here tonight just in case they get lucky. But know you’ve signed their death warrants, Emily. Behave and their deaths will be quick. Act up…and I’ll make sure you watch them die a slow, painful death.”

“Please, Ian, please don’t hurt them. I swear I won’t try to get away again. I’ll be whatever you need me to be. Please give me another chance. Please!” she begs desperately.

Ian stands and walks towards the door. “No.”

Emily’s body is wracked with sobs as he walks out the door, locking it behind him. Liam walks up to him.

“We’ll be ready to leave at midnight. I’ve sent Seamus to kill the midwife. He’ll meet us in Ireland in a few days. Ian, don’t take that bitch with us. Kill her and leave her body for the scavengers here.”

Ian grabs Liam and slams him into the wall. “She’s carrying my son, Liam. MY son. Don’t you fucking suggest leaving her to the scavengers or it’s you they’ll be feasting on. And you won’t be dead when they start,” he warns his lieutenant.

* * *

 

Hotch lifts up his radio. “Shafer, a car just left the compound. Have it followed. I have a feeling he’s being sent to kill the midwife.”

“Got it, Hotch,” the Canadian replies.

Hotch lifts his binoculars again. He stares at the house. Obviously the people are getting ready to move out. It is now or never.

He walks back to the mobile command center. He addresses the gathered officers. “The only friendly in that building is Agent Emily Prentiss. She is secured in this room,” he points to an enlargement of the picture the midwife had drawn. “Agents Morgan and Jareau will be tasked with securing that room. As soon as it’s dark we move in. Do not hesitate to shoot because I can guarantee you the men we are going after won’t. Any questions?”

He is met with silence. He looks at Morgan. They both know it’s a huge risk to allow JJ anywhere near this operation but they also know short of chaining her to a tree there is no way to keep her out of it. He walks over and pats Garcia on the shoulder.

“Do we have satellite?”

“Yes, sir. Using its infrared imaging I should be able to tell you the locations of the suspects at all times.”

“Just keep an eye on Emily’s room. Let Morgan and JJ know if someone makes a move towards her.”

“Yes, sir. And sir? Good luck.”

Hotch nods. “Thank you.”

* * *

 

Hotch and Rossi along with four Canadian SRU officers approach the 5 men packing up a large cargo van. As soon as they are noticed, Hotch speaks.

“Surrender or die. Your choice.”

Two men raise their hands. Three men raise their guns and are cut down by the agents and their SRU accompaniment. Reid and Shafer move towards a shed with 6 officers. They quickly apprehend the 7 men inside without firing a shot.

Ian Doyle may have had some men at his disposal but his lack of funds shows in how quickly they are falling. They are not quality men.

Morgan and JJ head into the house with 4 officers. They clear the ground floor and start up the stairs. Gunfire rips out from the landing above. Two officers are hit as Morgan, JJ and the others manage to hit the ground. They hear footsteps running down the hall towards Emily’s room just as Garcia’s voice blares over their ear buds.

“SOMEONE’S RUNNING TOWARDS EMILY!”

JJ mutters. “Not when we’re this close.”

She stands up. Before Morgan can pull her back down one of the men firing at them from above leans over the railing…and gets a bullet between his eyes. As he falls JJ starts up the stairs, Morgan covering her. Liam spins around the corner and Morgan does the honors of dispatching him from this world.

Sure they only have one man left to find and sure they know where he’s going, JJ and Morgan run up the rest of the stairs and down the hall.

* * *

 

Emily had heard the gunfire. She starts to pull at her bindings, knowing she is a sitting duck for Ian or his men if they get desperate. Even worse, she doesn’t know if it’s his own men turning on him, his enemies tracking him down, or people there to rescue her. Her only sure chance for survival is to somehow free herself.

“Come on, come on, fuck, please, come undone.” She pulls hard trying to break the ropes or the bedposts they are tied to. “Please come undone or fucking break. Please!”

The door to her room is slammed open. She looks up and sees Ian, his face a mask of fury. He slams the door, locking it and pushing a chair under the handle. He stares at her and she knows he’s there to kill her. She shakes her head.

“Ian…please, don’t. Please?”

“I’ll kill your child like you killed mine!” He points a gun at Emily’s stomach.

“He’s alive!” she screams desperately. “Declan is ALIVE!”

Ian hesitates. “Wh—what?”

“I snuck him out of the country. Him and Louise. I arranged for a series of false identities for them, staged the shooting, then watched as they got on a plane and flew away from your fucking life.”

“He…he’s alive. NO!” He smacks her in the face, reopening a cut on her cheek. “Where the hell is he?”

“All I know is he’s away from YOU! And that he’s safe from your fury, your life, your enemies. He’s got a life, Ian! I gave that to him. I win!”

“NO!” He whips her face with the butt of his pistol gashing the cut deeper. “WHERE IS HE?”

“Go to fucking hell,” she sneers.

He straddles her, wrapping his hands around her throat, staring into her eyes as he starts to choke the life from her. “TELL ME! OR I’LL CHOKE THE FUCKING LIFE OUT OF YOU AND THAT BABY! TELL ME!”

Emily shakes her head as much a she can. She tries to struggle but being tied to the bed she can’t move very much under his weight. Her vision starts to cloud and then darken and just when she is starting past the point of no return she hears a yell as if from afar.

“EMILY!”

* * *

 

JJ races down the hall. She tries the door they know Emily to be in but it’s locked. Morgan throws himself against the door. They way it shudders he can tell it is braced.

“Guys, get over here!” he says to the 2 cops still with them. “JJ, you’ll take point when it’s opened.”

JJ nods.

Morgan looks at the cops. “One. Two. THREE!”

They race at the door and slam it open. JJ spins into the room, remembering vividly where Betty said the bed would be. She sees Ian choking the life out of Emily.

“EMILY! FBI! GET OFF HER!”

Ian looks over, grabbing for the gun he’d discarded when he decided to strangle Emily…and takes every bullet left in JJ’s clip in a neat grouping right in his heart. He falls backwards onto Emily’s legs, his body at an angle only death can bend it. Morgan races over and yanks him to the ground as JJ runs to Emily.

“EMILY! Come on, Emily. Breathe for me, baby. Come on, breathe!”

She places her mouth over Emily’s and blows into her mouth. It’s the catalyst her body needs to start responding. She gasps in a breath, straining reflexively against the ropes holding her.

“YES! Come on, baby. Control your breathing. That’s it. Yes, Emily. Yes, baby. Come back to me.”

Emily blinks a few times as her head deals with the lack of oxygen followed by the sudden influx of oxygen. Finally she realizes who is in front of her.

“Jennifer?” she croaks, her throat raw from the strangulation.

“Yes, baby,” JJ says as she starts to cry. “Yes, Emily, it’s me. It’s me, baby.”

“Oh, Jen,” Emily starts to cry. “Oh, Jen.”

Morgan pulls a pocket knife and cuts the ties holding Emily’s arms. The brunette immediately engulfs her wife in a hug. They hold each other as if they will never let go. Morgan meanwhile cuts the ropes at Emily’s feet. Hearing footsteps running towards the room, he readies his gun as JJ quickly reloads and moves into a protective position in front of Emily.

They breathe a sigh of relief as Hotch, Rossi and Reid run into the room.

“The house is clear. This shit is over,” Hotch tells them.

JJ holsters her gun and turns back to Emily. She pulls her close once more. “Over. Thank God.”

Emily just cries on the blonde’s shoulder. Morgan keys his mike. “Garcia, we have her. Send in the ambulance.” He looks at Doyle’s body. “And the coroner.”


	16. Chapter 16

Hotch looks at the men on his team. “Why don’t we step outside for a moment? Give them time alone while we wait for the EMT’s.”

They nod and step out. Morgan pulls the busted door as closed as he can to give Emily and JJ some privacy. JJ eases back from the hug to stare into Emily’s eyes.

“I love you, Emily. I’d have never stopped searching for you.” She leans in to kiss her wife but Emily turns away.

“No,” she says weakly.

JJ clenches her jaw. “Emily, did he…did he make you…”

“I tried to do what you said but I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”

JJ strokes a hand down Emily’s uncut cheek. “What do you mean, baby?”

“I dressed like her and acted like her. I kissed him, Jen,” she says quietly. “I let him touch me and kiss my body. But when I felt his erection against my leg I shuddered. I saw your face and knew I could never willingly give myself to him. And he knew it, too. That’s when he beat me.”

JJ stares at her wife. “That’s when you got the phone. When he was…distracted by your body.” Emily nods. “Then you did what you had to do to survive. Emily, if you hadn’t done that we wouldn’t be here. We were…” she shakes her head. “Baby, we were stuck. You helped us save you. I don’t care how you did it. All I care about is you.”

Emily slowly looks up at JJ, shame in her eyes. “He…he marked me, Jen. You’ll never be able to look at me without seeing me broken like this.” She brings a hand up to cover her breast.

“You are not broken, Emily Prentiss. You look at me: You. Are. Not. Broken. Hurt, maybe, but not broken.”

JJ had noticed a bit of redness on Emily’s left breast but enough of the blouse covered it that she hadn’t seen exactly what it was. She carefully brings Emily’s hand down to her lap. Staring into Emily’s eyes, JJ slowly eases the blouse back to reveal the 2” wide shamrock on her wife’s chest. She lowers her eyes to look at the brand. New tears fill her eyes.

“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry he did this to you.” She looks up at Emily. “It doesn’t make me love you any less. To me, it’s a sign of survival. You’re alive. He’s not. And that’s all I give a damn about.”

“So…I haven’t lost you? This doesn’t disgust you?”

“Never.” JJ reaches up and undoes her necklace. She slides Emily’s wedding ring off. She lifts Emily’s left hand and slides it back in place. “Now and always, Emily.”

Emily stares into blue eyes filled with love. “Te amo, Jennifer.”

Finally Emily allows JJ to kiss her, letting her wife’s love be a balm to her wounded soul.

* * *

 

“Yes, I know. We’re beyond excited. We’re just waiting for the doctors to decide if she can go home right now or if she needs to stay a couple days,” Penelope explains to Elizabeth, Gerald, Sandy and Alan, who are on the speaker phone at a hotel in DC.

“And the baby is okay?” Sandy asks.

“As far as we know. Doyle had a midwife come check on Emily after…uh, well, earlier today. She said the baby was healthy and had a strong heartbeat. We got there pretty soon after that so the baby should still be okay.”

“Thank God,” Elizabeth mutters, squeezing Gerald’s hand.

“Penelope, should we come up there?” Gerald asks.

“Why don’t we wait to see what the doctor says. If she can leave soon we’ll get her on the jet and back to Virginia faster than a speeding Hotchrocket!” she promises.

“Uh…what exactly is a ‘Hotchrocket’?” Alan asks.

Penelope grins. “Long story. Look, I need to get back inside in case they come out with word about our princess. I promise you all will know seconds after me what’s going on.”

“Thank you, Penelope. Give her our love,” Sandy tells her.

“You betcha,” Garcia promises.

The analyst heads back inside the hospital to see if the doctors had come out to see the team yet. JJ is still pacing which answers that question. She walks over to her best friend and stops her.

“Jayje, calm down. You know she’s okay. This is just to get her few wounds checked out.”

“Still don’t understand why I can’t be back there with her. Don’t they understand I’m still terrified I’ll wake up and this will just be a dream?” She starts to shake. “Why can’t I be back there, Pen?”

Garcia stares at her friend. She had spent two weeks watching JJ ride a roller coaster of emotions and mental states. She had seen her helpless and ferocious; despondent and driven; terrified and furious. Garcia is not going to have her riding these waves any more; not with Emily just down the hall. She grabs JJ’s hand.

“Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to see your wife. Fuck their rules.”

JJ stares at Garcia, the smiles. “What would I do without you, Pen?”

“Not even worth contemplating, Jayje.”

Hotch sees them walking off in the direction of Emily’s treatment room. He smiles, glad Garcia had the guts to do what no one else had done. A nurse goes to stop them but Garcia looks at JJ.

“That’s right, honey. The doctor said to keep walking it off.” She looks at the nurse. “She’s high on Robitussin. Got to walk it off.”

“Oh, um, okay. Is that the right treatment?”

“You going to question a doctor?” Garcia challenges.

“Umm…no. Let me know if I can help,” she offers. Garcia smiles and nods.

As they pass the nurse, JJ giggles. “High on Robitussin? Is that even possible?” she whispers.

Garcia shrugs. “Does it matter if it get’s you to Emily?”

JJ shakes her head. “Not a damn bit. You’re awesome, Pen.”

“Back atcha, Jayje.”

When they walk into Emily’s treatment room the brunette looks relieved. “Thank God they finally let you back. I’ve been asking for you for an hour.”

JJ walks over and takes Emily’s hand. “They didn’t exactly let us back here. If anyone asks I’m high on Robitussin, Garcia is helping me walk it off and, well, I guess I got distracted by your beauty which is how I ended up here.”

Emily looks from JJ to the grinning Garcia and back. JJ is thrilled to see a real smile light up Emily’s face. “I love you both, you know that, right?”

JJ gives her a hug. “We know, sweetheart. We love you, too.”

When the doctor comes in a few minutes later he glares at JJ, who is sitting on the bed, stroking her hand through Emily’s hair while Emily just clings to her.

“I see you’re off the Robitussin high, Agent Jareau,” he says snidely.

She glares back. “Right now I’m Mrs. Prentiss. Deal with it.”

Garcia taps him on the shoulder. “I’d deal with it if I were you. Especially while she’s still armed. Best shot in the FBI.”

He glances at JJ then back to Garcia. “Really? _Her?”_

JJ bristles. “Want a demonstration, Doc?”

The look in her eyes tells him she’s really offering. He gulps and instead looks at the paperwork in his hands. “Well, all your fluid levels are good. I’d say you were taken good care of for the most part. Once you get home you may want to check in with your regular physician. And a plastic surgeon should be able to fix the brand with no problem.”

“So…can I go?” Emily asks hopefully.

He nods. “I’ll start to process the paperwork now. You should be able to leave within the hour.” He leaves them alone.

JJ looks at Emily with relief. But Emily is staring at Garcia. JJ turns and sees the stricken look on their friend’s face.

“Pen?” JJ asks.

Garcia slowly walks forward. “Brand? Emily, what did that bastard do to you?” she asks fearfully.

Emily looks down. She takes a deep breath and looks back up. “He fucking branded me with his specialized shamrock.”

She eases the top of the dressing gown she wears to show Garcia. She knew JJ would need Garcia’s support dealing with this aspect of her injuries. Even if she decides to get surgery to remove it she would have to wait until after the baby is born. Garcia’s eyes fill with tears.

“Oh, Emily. I’m so sorry, honey. But it can be fixed, right?”

Emily nods. “Yep, but not for 7 months or so. Well, maybe more like 10 months with breastfeeding and such. At least it will give the baby something to look at while eating, right?” She tries to keep her voice light but her two friends see through the ruse.

JJ pulls her close. “Stop, Emily. No need to be brave for us.”

Garcia walks over and hugs them both. “We’ll hold you up as long as you need.”

Emily sobs, their love breaking down the walls she is trying to construct. “I was so scared,” she whispers.

“Us, too,” Garcia says. “But we new you’d fight to stay alive and we knew we wouldn’t stop until we found you. We love you, Emster.”

Emily smiles. “Love you all, too, Garcia.”

* * *

 

Three hours later Emily is settling down on the couch in the jet. Her head lies in JJ’s lap. Morgan sits across from them. He takes her hand.

“When we land you’re going to be engulfed by parents and Henry. So let me say this now. I love you, Emily.”

She smiles and squeezes his hand. “I love you, too, Derek. Wish I could have seen you take out that door.”

He smiles. “Would have been better if the one guy hadn’t stepped on my foot causing us to land in a heap.”

JJ smiles. “Funny, that’s what he said about you.”

Emily chuckles, feeling something settle within her. These people, these wonderful people are not going to judge her for what she had to do to stay alive. They are only going to celebrate that she’s coming home. Emily looks up at JJ.

“I know tradition says we should wait but do you think we should tell them our good news?”

JJ grins. “Sure. It’s been such a huge secret until this point.”

Emily looks at the team, who all sit in the chairs near the couch. “You may be surprised to hear this but…JJ knocked me up.”

The team laughs. “Gee, we would have never guessed,” Rossi says.

“I knew,” Hotch says smugly. “I was there when she got the text.”

Reid sits forward. “I’m happy for you. Both of you. But we’re going to need to have a talk if you think JJ is the father.”

JJ smiles at him. “I have many skills, Spence.”

The team laughs. Emily looks at each of them in turn.

“I do have two questions to ask if it’s okay,” she says.

“Of course, honey,” JJ encourages her.

“Where the hell was I and how did you find me?”

The team chuckles. Garcia sits forward. “Well, you’re amazing wife figured out that Ian probably started in the arms business by killing off a competitor. Enter one Spencer Reid who drew hieroglyphs all over my electronic map and he figured out who it was. Luckily, that guy had relatives in New Brunswick which led us to a hunting lodge owned by ‘Reynolds Vengeance Outfitters’. Ugly name but we figured it meant something. So, Hotch made a call and here we are.”

Emily looks at Reid. “Hieroglyphs?”

Morgan chuckles. “Trust me, Emily, the boy genius is the only one who would understand what the heck he drew up there.”

Reid rolls his eyes. “Not true. It was simple, really.”

He grabs a piece of paper and, thanks to his eidetic memory, recreates his pictogram. He lifts it up and shows Emily. Morgan shakes his head.

“See what I me—”

“Wow! Reid, that’s incredible! You tracked him back 18 years to Alexi Korsokov! We could have used that information the first time around.

Silence greets her announcement. Morgan’s jaw is on the ground. Rossi and Hotch exchange a look of “oh my God.” Garcia just shakes her head. Reid smiles smugly. JJ starts to giggle and leans over to give Emily a kiss.

“I love my little nerd so much.”

The team just laughs, glad their family is whole once more.

Emily tries to stay awake but with her head in JJ’s lap, with the love of her friends around her, with the feeling of safety washing over her the events of the past two weeks catch up to her and she drifts off to sleep. JJ lifts her hand and kisses it.

“I love you, Emily Prentiss,” she whispers.

* * *

 

The plane lands as the sun rises over Quantico. The team is not surprised to see the Jareau-Prentiss clan is already waiting at the hangar for them. Emily smiles as she sees Henry in Alan’s arms. The little boy is smiling and waving his hands. Morgan helps her down the stairs as she has gotten stiff during the flight. As she clears the steps she is pulled into a hug by her parents.

“Oh, Emmy,” Elizabeth whispers in her ear.

“Are you really okay, honey?” Gerald confirms, kissing her head.

“I’m okay. A few bumps and bruises but mostly okay. I swear,” she assures them.

“MAMA! MAMA! MAMA!” Henry is screaming and straining to get to her.

The Prentiss’ ease back. Elizabeth smiles. “I think you’re biggest fan is calling for you.”

Emily stares at Henry. A lump rises in her throat as she imagines Doyle getting her hands on him. JJ sees the emotions playing over Emily’s face.

“He loves you and you protected him, Emily. Go to him. He needs you as much as you need him,” she encourages.

Emily takes the few steps to Alan. Henry practically leaps out of his Grandpa’s hands to get to his mama. She pulls him close, her heart melting as he says Mama over and over again as he gives her a big hug.

“I love you, Henry. I love you so, so much.”

JJ wraps her arms around both of them. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

Emily nods. “Home. Yes. Home.”

After getting hugs from Sandy, Alan and Francesca they pile into the car and head for the Prentiss house. JJ realizes just how tired Emily must be to not even care that she’s been picked up by a limo. Sitting between her mother and JJ, Emily dozes off on the relatively short drive, her hands clenching those of the two most important women in her life.

* * *

 

A couple of hours later, JJ and Emily sit in their doctor’s office. Emily is a bit uneasy as this is where her two weeks in hell began. But when she sees the look on JJ’s face as their doctor does a precautionary ultrasound, Emily can’t help but smile.

“You’re so beautiful, Jennifer.”

JJ tears her eyes from the monitor long enough to give Emily a kiss. “So are you. Thank you for protecting our baby. Thank you so much. I love you, Emily.”

“I love you, too, Jen. Thank you for saving us.”

“You’re both mine. No one is taking you away from me. No one.”

She lays her head on Emily’s as they watch the screen, listening to the hypnotic beat of their child’s heart.


End file.
